Love is sweeter the second time around chapter 54
by dementedducky
Summary: Day trip number two.


*Early the next day Brendan slips off out whilst everyone else remains in bed, he heads to his dance class and learns the steps to the next part of the song. He then has to combine his new moves with the ones he's already learnt. By the end of the lesson Brendan is able to dance to the first half of the song perfectly. He heads off back home and slips back into bed and lays down just as Ste wakes up. Brendan gets the kids fed and changed whilst Ste gets himself ready.*

"Who's ready for another surprise today?" Brendan says as the kids are pulling their tops on. There's a muffled shout from both the kids which Brendan takes as they're both ready. Lucas pulls his top over his head but Leah seems to have got her head stuck. Well she's waving her arms around and making a noise. Brendan tries to pull the top down and realises something.

"Leah… This is Lucas' top why are you trying fit that over your head you noodle?" he says pulling the top off revealing a very red faced Leah

"It…it was in my wardrobe I thought it was mine" Leah says slightly out of breath from struggling.

Brendan rolls his eyes and gets her another t-shirt and this one fits on easily. Ste appears in the doorway.

"Ready to roll?"

"Yeah" Brendan says as he gets his shoes on

They get the kids all strapped into their booster seats and Brendan starts driving.

"Where we going today?" Leah asks excitedly

"Well where do you find lions, bears, penguins, elephants and all sorts of animals?"

"Erm… toy shop?" Lucas guesses

"Well there is a toy shop there but these animals are real"

"THE ZOO!" Leah says jumping up and down

"Yeah!" Ste says

It's bit of a drive to the zoo but Brendan has the radio on and they sit singing to song after song. After a good 30 minutes more driving they finally park up at the zoo. As soon as Brendan pays for them to get in they all stand on the other side not sure where to start.

Ste grabs a map and a pen. "So which animals would you most like to see today?"

"Sharks!"

"Polar bears"

Ste marks out a route on the map. They should be able to see all the animals as they got there nice and early but they make sure that they see the sharks and polar bears before they leave. The nearest animal to the entrance are some brightly coloured birds.

"What are those daddy?" Leah says pointing to one in particular "It looks like a pirate bird"

"That's a parrot and you're right pirates do have parrots" Ste says

"Daddy Brendan" Lucas says tugging his sleeve

"Yeah mate?"

"What one's that one?" Lucas says pointing.

"That's a cockatoo, they're very bright and pretty aren't they?"

"Yeah I love how he's bopping his head" Lucas says copying him whilst the other adults around the cage coo at his cuteness whilst Ste and Brendan can't help grinning like proud parents.

As they walk away Brendan whispers into Ste's ear "I know you love that bird too"

"Which one?"

"The cock or two" Brendan says with a wink.

They take the kids hands and they walk to the next animal, the lions.

The kids stand pressed against the cages watching the tigers and tiger cubs. The tiger cubs are in a playful mood whilst the adults are just sleeping. They could stand their all day watching the tiger cubs roll around and pin each other down and biting each others ears but they have to move on if they want to make their way around the whole zoo before it shuts. Next up is the lions who are in an equally playful mood. After that they see the elephants and giraffes and zebras then they make a stop for lunch. Hot dogs all around then after a little while longer they continue their trek across the zoo. Finally they make it to the icy areas. First of all they see penguins. They're swimming around and sliding down the ice on their bellies and waddling around and looking adorable. Once they're finished looking at the penguins Leah and Lucas try out their best penguin waddles and they waddle over to the polar bears. They spend ages watching as the big polar bears are eating fish and the little ones are either eating fish or swimming or playing together. The zoo keeper even offers the bucket to Brendan, Ste and the kids and Brendan picks up Leah in one hand so she can see better and takes a fish in the other hand and throws it to a baby polar cub. Ste takes his turn and lifts up Lucas. The kids aren't too sure about holding the cold dead fish but after some gentle encouragement they both bravely put their hands in the bucket at the same time and throw the fish into the polar bears who happily chomp away on them.

There's a little area next to it with a tap so they all rinse their hands under the clear water and continue to walk into the aquarium area. After seeing giant crabs and spotting pretty much the entire fish cast of finding nemo they walk through a tunnelled area where they see the sharks swimming all around them.

Lucas presses his face up against the glass and a shark swims right up to the glass and Lucas presses his hand against it and smiles. He spots the person in charge of looking after the sharks.

"Can I swim with them?" Lucas asks bravely

"Erm.. Not really little man it's not very safe" the shark guy tells him. "They might bite."

"Cool"

Leah hides behind Brendan and mutters "not cool"

Brendan picks her up and gives her a reassuring squeeze. "They can't get you. I promise"

"Yeah because they're in there aren't they? And if they escaped then you'd just go BISH! BAM! BOFF! And the shark would run home crying to his mum wouldn't he?"

The people around the sharks laugh at her cuteness and Brendan smiles and says "Of course darling. No sharks will ever hurt you or Lucas"

"Or daddy?"

"No, no sharks will hurt your daddy either, not while I'm here"

Leah relaxes a little bit and Lucas hasn't stopped asking the shark guy questions. Just before they leave the shark guy gives Lucas a little something.

"WOW! Is it real?" Lucas says clutching it and jumping up and down

"It sure is kid. Came from that shark right there" the shark guy says pointing over to a big great white looming overhead.

"And I can keep it?"

"Course you can kid, I've never known someone so intrigued by sharks at such a young age" he delves into his pocket and rummages around a little. "Here little lady, would you like this?" He says offering his closed hand out.

"It's not another shark tooth like Lucas' is it?"

"Nope, just hold out your hand and have a look"

Leah reluctantly holds out her hand and feels something small, round and cold in her palm. She opens it up to find a small white pearl in her hand. She gasps "It's so pretty!"

"It's real too but don't tell the other kids where you got them or they'll all want one and I only gave you and your brother these and no one else ok?"

"Ok" Leah and Lucas say "thank you Mister!" They both say giving him a hug before they head off. Ste and Brendan thank the man too and they all walk out of the aquarium.

After much more walking the kids start getting tired. They go into the market enclosure where they walk through a series of tunnels and pop their heads up through these little plastic domes. Once they're done they all decide it's time to make one final stop. The gift/toy shop.

The kids liven up and spend ages looking at all the toys. Lucas, still holding on to his shark tooth, stands in front of the rows of shark teddies and eventually chooses a medium blue one and after much debating, Leah chooses a pink dolphin. Brendan then buys two bouncy balls, 4 chocolate bears, the kids toys and then a little toy each for him and Ste. Ste chose a cute giraffe toy and Brendan chose an owl teddy. He pays for everything and they all head back to the car. The journey back is almost silent except for the whispers from the adults as both the kids have fallen fast asleep in their booster seats.


End file.
